Pho Tay Ho earns praise for a broth that is flavorful and light, with the chicken pho and the chicken with giblets often singled out as exceptional, while the beef pho offers a heavier, satisfying option for those craving a richer profile. The menu is described as small but carefully curated, prioritizing fresh, authentic ingredients and generous portions at friendly prices. Diners often call it the best pho in town or comparable to the best found in Vietnam, and the place is noted for fast, reliable service and a clean, welcoming atmosphere. Some reviews caution that broth quality can vary and meat portions may fall short on certain visits, and a few say prices can be high for the value. Overall, Pho Tay Ho is viewed as a reliable, high quality option for Vietnamese staples in a compact, approachable setting.
The very best Chicken PHO in town. The one with Chiken & Giblets is simply amazing. As good as the best ones found in Vietnam.
Be aware that Chicken Pho is a delicacy. The broth has to be flavorful but also super light & Chicken has to be tasty (mostly the broth has to be made with chicken bones/carcasses, the chicken meat is pour in just to be cooked).
Because Chicken Pho is far less in demand & it is so difficult to make it right, than even in Vietnam, only few Pho restaurants has Chicken Pho on their menu.
For more standard taste & heavier flavors, Beef Pho is the way to go.
Their Vietnamese beef tartare is also best in town. It is tasty, fresh & smooth. I only took it to share the dish around a table of 3-4
The menu is not large. You won't have much choice, but each dish is tasty & fresh !
People want more & more choices, but that tendency has a strong & wrong impact on quality. To have fresh meal dishes, it would request a lot of manpower, fresh raw products ready & waste (none fresh items discarded).
But with price spiking all over the place, price has to be increase dramatically or products has to be lower quality, or even frozen (frozen products reduce waste, cooking time & cooking staff).
At Pho Tay Ho, fresh & flavorful ingredients are highly valued, so they keep their menu relatively tiny.
All in all, it's a nice small place which deliver high quality, fresh & authentic dishes at the friendly price. Don't have to take the plane to Vietnam for an amazing Chicken Pho, just go there.
The very best Chicken PHO in town. The one with Chiken & Giblets is simply amazing.
Their Vietnamese beef tartare is also best in town. It is tasty, fresh & smooth. I only took it to share the dish around the table of 3-4
The menu is not large. You won't have much choice ! But each dish is tasty & fresh.
People want more & more choice, but that tendency has a strong & wrong impact on quality. To have fresh meal dishes, it would request a lot of manpower & raw products ready.
But with price spiking all over the place, other price has to be increase dramatically or products has to be lower quality, or even frozen.
All in all, it's a nice small place which deliver high quality, fresh & authentic dishes at the friendly price. Don't take the plane to Vietnam for an amazing Chicken Pho, just go there.
Jan 11, 2026
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Though the broth was FANTASTIC, I think I ordered the wrong thing. I got #14 with beef & was disappointed. Low quantity & quality of beef & overloaded with freezer bag veggies. My girlfriend's chicken version had the same problems.
Still glad I went to experience the broth, but I would get something else. I look forward to going back to try their vermicelli.
Good service (fast as balls) & cute ambiance.
As it stands, Pho Nguyen downtown is still my fave!
Usually pretty good but today the chicken was extremely overcooked & very dry, like shoe leather. 3 years later & the beef is dry & tough. Broth is good, & LOTS of veggies!
This was not a place I will come back to for pho. The onion slices were too thick so I could not really eat them, & the raw meat was tough. I also had a bit of inedible chicken in my spring roll. Just not for me.
Peaceful place with kind & quick service in a side street of the Mile End. The pho dac biet was a large portion, & while super delicious, the broth tasted more of chicken than a traditional & authentic pho broth. Generous amounts of meat & herbs elevated the dish & kept it fresh & light. Pork & shrimp fresh rolls were herby & homemade, the perfect texture of the wrap & noodles indicating it was freshly wrapped. I would come back!
They used to be known for the best chicken pho in town. I haven't been there for years. I recently got takeout for supper. I ordered the chicken pho, the grilled pork vermicelli, & bun cha Hanoi. Also got the chicken salad & the beed salad. The pho is still as generous as before, but the chicken & the broth were lacking flavour. The grilled pork was dried & hard to chew. I used to love their chicken salad, but this time, the mixture was missing something. Maybe not enough lime or msg. The beef salad was ok, but I find it weird that they put canh chu leaves inside. The food was ok but kinda miss the old flavors.
